Electric switch



Jan. 10, 1939. C ow z 2,143,158

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 3', 1936 The loop i of the brush member seatsin the curved portion III of the pocket 5 and from there the brushmember extends as shown at ll across the pocket 5 and then the brushmember is formed into a loop l2 which seats in the curved recess |3 sothat the two loops I, I2 seating in their respective curved recessesIll, |3 prevent the brush member from being dislocated during theoperation of the switch and the construction allows ready assembly ofthe brush members without the employment of jigs or tools. Both brushmembers and their pockets are constructed alike. The free arms l4 of thebrush members extend into the rotor chamber 3 and on opposite sides ofthe axis of the rotor they engage with the conducting member l5 which ispart of the rotor. The rotor itself consists in part of a disc-likemember l6 shown as having four eccentric curved portions l1, eachfollowed by an abrupt shoulder Hi. This member of the rotor ispreferably made of insulating material. There is a disc of insulatingmaterial conforming in outline to the member IE but it has no aperturetherein so that it insulates the sleeve 22 from the member IS. Thecontact member on the rotor is shown as a disc I9 which lies against thelower face of the disc 60 and it has two arms 20 extending outwardly orradially therefrom and on the ends of these arms are formed contactplates 2| which lie against the outer, curved surfaces of two of theeccentric members I! of the rotor so that when the rotor is in theposition where the free ends of the brush members touch the portions 2|a circuit will be established through the switch because the brushmemberswill be inconducting relation with each other through the metalmember l5 ofthe rotor. On the other hand, when the rotor is turned to aposition where the free ends I4 01 the brush members rest only againstthe outer surfaces of the two eccentric portions H which are not coveredby the contact member I 5 the circuit will be opened because there willbe no conducting material between the free arms of the brush members.

There is a sleeve 22 of polygonal cross section and the sleeve extendsinto a central polygonal aperture 26 in the disc member of the rotor It.The disc 21 is preferably of insulating material and it is of suchdiameter as to project over the face of the circular shoulder 4 of thebase so it may 'restin contact with the latter. The sleeve 22 receivesthe disc 21 thereover and the central aperture 28 in this disc may becircular and large enough so that the disc does not have to rotate withthe rotor.

- There is-another disc 29 which may be made of metal and it is shown asresting face to face against the disc 21 of insulating material. Thisdisc 29 is shown as having a polygonal, preferably a square, centralaperture 3! to fit the square end of the sleeve 22. It is also providedwith apertures 3|, four being illustrated. which are arrangedconcentrically around the axis of the disc.

The oscillating member of the ratchet device is formed an offsetshoulder." adapted to form a hook to be engaged by one end of the pullcord or chain 44, 45. This ocillating member of the switch (portion 32)has a small projection 31' on its under side forming -.a pawl adapted toarcane engage in any one of the apertures SI of the disc 29 to advancethe latter disc in one direction and to escape from one apertur'eto theother of the disc upon the return movement of the oscillating member.The helical spring 31 has one end hooked around the cross member 4| ofthe shaft and one end is hooked against one edge of one of the lips 34of the oscillating member. This spring performs the operation ofreturning the oscillating member after each operation by the pull chainto its initial" or stop position and it permits the disc 32 to riseslightly to allow the tooth 31' to escape on the plate 29.

The shaft for guiding the rotor and the oscillating member is shown ashaving a vertical portion 40 which may be round or rectangular in crosssection and this portion of the shaft extends through the center of thespring 31 and into the central aperture 22' of the sleeve 22 butpreferably this end of the shaft does not extend through an aperture ofthe base as in prior devices, thereby eliminating the possibility ofdirt working through a shaft aperture into the casing. It is sufiicientthat the shaft merely enter the sleeve 22 to guide it and thereby guidethe rotor and the ratchet device where the shaft is provided with theangular arm hereinafter referred to.

The shaft has a laterally extending arm 4| at its upper end and near theouter free end of this arm there is a downwardly extending member 42which is adapted to move vertically down into the slot 43 of the switchbase so that this projecting end seats in the slot 43 in which it fitsandforms a support and guide for the vertical portion of the shaft.

The pull chain for operating shown as consisting of a number of spheres44 connected by links 45 and is of the usual type employed in switchesof this character. The first ball of the chain is placed ahead of theprojection 35 of the ratchet device so that the adjacent link engages inthe notch 46. From there the chain extends partly around the ratchetdevice, the balls lying in the cup shaped members 34 and in thecondition shown in Figure 3 the chain extends from the lowermost end ofthe iowercup shaped member 34- through the bore of the tubularconnection 41 which is integral with or attached to the metal cover andthence through the bore of the tubular nut 48 from which the chain hangsdown suiilciently to be grasped by the fingers.

When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 3 the and ball 44 ofthe chain which is on one side of the member 25 tests against one sideof the lateral arm 4| of the shaft so that the latter acts as a stop forthe ratchet device upon'its return to the inactive or starting position,as shown in this figure. When the ratchet device is oscillated by thepulling on the chain the parts will move to the position shown in Figure4 and the end 49 of the cup shaped member 34 of the. ratchet device willstrike against the opposite side of the lateral arm; 4| of the shaft andthus limit the movement of the ratchet device in one direction, i. e.,it limits the movement when the chain is pulled. Thus, the lateral armof the shaft acts as a stop for the ratchet device in both directions ofmovement, limiting the oscillating of the ratchet device toapproximately one-quarter of a revolution.

The cover for closing the shell is shown as stamped from sheet metal andconsisting of a the switch is e plate portion 50- which covers the openside of the base and therefore covers the several compartments 3, 5; andthere are two depending side walls 5| extending from the top wall, andthese sidewalls enclose and lie against 'opposite sides of the block Iand the tongues 52 formed in the free ends of these plates 5| areadapted to be turned over intothe notches 52' of the base to lock thecover in place. I have also shown end tongues 53 adapted to lap over theend walls of the block to guide and hold the cover.

When the parts of the switch are assembled as shown in Figures 1, 2 and3, the free ends M of the brushes will press against the eccentricsurfaces I! of the rotor, or as shown, in Figure 5, against the plates2| of the conducting member l5 which cover two of the eccentric surfacesWhile the switch is at rest or in starting position as shown in Figure3, the end ball 44 of the chain is resting against the portion 4| of theshaft where it is pressed by the action of the spring 31,

When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 5 the current is on.If the chain 44, 45 is pulled, the oscillating member 32 will be turneduntil the edge 49 of one of the members 34 strikes against the one sideof the member 4| of the shaft, thereby stopping the movement of theoscillating member 32. During-this movement of the member 32 the tooth31' engaging in one of the apertures 3| of the disc 23 causes the latterto be: rotated one-quarter turn so that the parts I! of the rotor whichare covered with the plates 2| move out of contact with the arms M ofthe brushes and the two uncovered projections l'l move under the .armsl4 and of course the circuit is thus broken.

, There can be no retrograde movement of the rotor because of theshoulders l8 which cannot turn backward because of the brush arms l4.When the chain is released the spring 31 returns the member 32 to thefirst or starting position shown in Figure 3, ready for a secondoperation. The disc 29, however, is not returned because the projection31' on the member 32 escapes from one aperture 3| back to the nextaperture as the member 32 may rise, to allow this escape against thepressure of the spring 31. The torque action of the spring 31 is theforce which returns the member 32 to the starting position. The disc 21does not revolve; its purpose is to facilitate assembly of the parts andalso serve as a guide for the disc 23 and the sleeve 22, and

through the latter it acts to guide the vertical.

shaft 40.

a From the above it will be apparent that I have provided simple meansfor stopping the ratchet device, impz oved the assembly of the switch,eliminated the shaft hole which might otherwise allow dirt to enter theswitch. I have also provided the sleeve.22 with a rotor, permittingcertain parts to be assembled before being placed into the shell.

is; V I

1. Aswitch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotorrevolvable in said compartment, a vertical shaft for said rotor, alaterally extending arm on the end of said shaft beyond the outer faceof said'rotor said base having-a slot to receive the laterally extendingmember of said shaft therein, a ratchet device for operating said rotorand means for operating said ratchet device comprising a membermountedto oscillate about the vertical portion of said shaft and havshaft,whereby said lateral member of the shaft acts as a stop for theoscillating member.

2. A switch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotorrevolvable in said compartment, 9. vertical shaft for said rotor, alaterally extending arm on the end of said shaft beyond the outer faceof said rotor, said base having a slotto receive the laterally extendingmember of said shaft therein, a ratchet device for operating said .rotorand means for operating said ratchet device comprising a member mountedto oscillate about the vertical portion of said shaft and having meansto engage the ratchet device to operate the latter step by step as theoscillating member is oscillated and thereby operate the rotor step bystep, said oscillating member being so positioned that as it oscillatesit strikes against the lateral member of the shaft in both directions ofoscillation whereby said lateral member of the shaft acts as a stop forthe oscillating member in both directions of oscillations thereof.

3. A switch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotorrevolvable in'said compartment, a sleeve fitting into said rotor andhaving a polygonal cross section, said sleeve extending beyond the outerface .of the rotor, a ratchet device for rotating the rotor step by stepand including a disc having a polygonal opening fitting the polygonalportionof said sleeve, and a vertical shaft for said rotor extendinginto a central aperture in said sleeve, a laterally extending arm on theouter end of said shaft; said base having a slot to receive thelaterally extending arm of the shaft.

4. A switch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotorrevolvable in said compartment, a polygonal sleeve fitting into saidrotor and having a portion extending beyond the outer face of the rotor,a ratchet device for rotating the rotor step by step and including adisc having a polygonal opening fitting the polygonal portion of saidsleeve, and a vertical shaft for said rotor extending into a centralaperture in said sleeve, a laterally extending arm on the outer end ofsaid shaft, said base having a slot to receive the laterally extendingarm of the shaft, said shaft terminating within said base whereby therewill be no shaft opening in the bottom wall of the base.

Having describedmy invention, what I claim 7 the rotor step by step saidparts adapted to be rounding said shaft and acting on said oscillatingmember, said spring and shaft being insertable into the base after saidfirst mentioned assembled parts have been placed in position.

'6. A switch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotorrevolvable in said compartment, a sleeve into said rotor and adapted toturn the rotor, said base having a shoulder intermediate the top andbottom ofthe base, a non-revolvable disc surrounding said 3 sleeve andseated on said shoulder'of the base,

a. shaft Ior said rotor extending into an aperture in said sleeve and aratchet device for operating the rotor step by step. 3

7. A switch including a shell or base having a compartment, a rotorrevolvable in said compartment, a sleeve fitting into said rotor andadapted to revolve said rotor, said base having an arcuate for operatingthe rotor step 'by step.

araaiss 8.'A switch including a shell or base having a compartment, arotor revolvable in said compartment, a polygonal'sleeve fitting intosaid rotor and having a portion extending beyond the outer face or therotor, a non-revolvable disc on said sleeve, said base having -ashoulder on which said disc is adapted to rest, a ratchet device foradvancing the rotor including a disc having a polygonal aperture to fitsaid sleeve, an oscillating member mounted on said sleeve and havingvmmeans for advancing said second named disc step by step, a verticalshait projecting into an aperture in said sleeve, and a laterallyextending arm on the outer end of said shaft, said base having atherein.

- CHARLES M. mom.

,slot to receive said laterally projecting arm 15

